Doweling jig



July 11, 1933. SMITH 1,917,668

DOWELING J IG Filed May 12, 1931 s Sheets-Sheet 1 EVKEBKE'Q g 4 7-7-5 KNEW B. E. SMITH DOWELING JIG July 11, 1933.

Filed May 12 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet fl TTURNE x B. E. SMITH DOWELING JIG July 11, 1933.

Filed May 12. 1931 3 SheetsSheet 3 uw/EA/TUR 5.1:. SMITH Patented July 11, 1933 UNITED STATES BURTON E. SMITH, OF PORTLAND, OREGON DOWELING JIG Application filed May 12, 1931. Serial No. 536,732.

This invention relates generally to doweling jigs, and particularly to a machine adapted for use by the blind.

The main object of this invention is to provide a doweling jig whereby a blind workman can prepare pieces for doweling as quickly and accurately as the same operation can be performed by a seeing person.

The second object is to overcome the handicap of impaired vision in the production of certan classes of standardized articles and to increase the usefulness of individuals whose sight has been impaired and further enabling them to take their place in pro- I I n ductive lines.

The third object is to produce a doweling jig which is particularly adapted for use in schools for the blind wherein inst actions and employment are given in making articles adapted to routine methods, such as screen doors, doll beds, foot stools and so forth.

These, apparent and other objects, will become more from the specification following as illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the entire device.

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a washer used to raise the pivoted end pieces when used on heavier stock.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the pivot bolt on whichswing the pivoted end pieces. c

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the tongue used to locate work endwise.

Fig. 7 is a section taken along the line 77 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a section taken along the line 8-8 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a section taken along the line 99 in Fig. 1. I

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view partly in section showing work clamped and end being drilled.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary plan view showing pivoted end piece swung out for drilling long pieces such as screen door stiles.

Fig. 12 is an 'end view of Fig. 11 taken along the line 12-12 in Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a'section taken along the 1313 in Fig. 1.

lengths and thicknesses of Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a screen door stile showing three dowels in place.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a screen door rail as drilled.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of an assembled dolls bed showing the various parts drilled.

Similar numbers of reference refer to similar parts throughout the severalviews.

Before enteringinto a description of this device it must be understood that wood work of the type above described when done by the blind is usually doweled and glued. This invention provides a convenient form of doweling jig whereby different widths,

stock may be handled, and dowel holes may be accurately and uniformly drilled therein, provision being made for the elimination of chance for error by preventing the drilling of holes in places where it is not intended that they be drilled. Provisionis also made whereby the blind operator himself can set and operate the machine as. accurately and unfailingly as can ll seeing P6175011.

detail to the drawings, in the device there. is shown 21 is mounted Referring in order to illustrate cabinet 20 on whose top a doweling about to be described. The cabinet 20 is provided with drawers 22 and doors 23 and is used forthe storage of tools and accessories for the jig.

On the top 21 is mounted a channel-shaped frame 24 whose upright rear side 25 is inturned and whose front side 26 has a horizontal bar 26A secured along the top edge thereof. Across the top of the sides 25 and 26 is secured a table 27 whose end 28 projects in back of the wall 25.. On thetable 27 is secured ahead block 29 by means of the bolts 30. The head block 29 is divided by the long V grooves 31 into inches. The edge 32 is provided with a vertical slot 33 at each inch mark-31 and has an enlarged portion 34 at the rearmost end of the slot. Between each pair of inch marks 31 is formed a slot 35. There is also provided a number of tongues 36 each having an enlarged edge 37 which occupies the enlarged portion 34 while the tongue 36 occupies a slot 33 or 35.

The purpose of the tongues 36.is to form stops along the head block 29. In front of the head block 29 is placed the long bit bar 38. The bit bar 38 is provided-with a series of alternating three-eighths inch holes 39 and quarter inch holes 40. It is desirable to provide a groove 41 across the centermost hole to indicate the center of the bit bar 38. It is desirable to provide a corresponding countersink 42 at the centermost inch mark 31 on the head block 29.

The long bit bar 38 is provided with extension bolts 43 which pass through the ends thereof. Each extension bolt 43 is provided with a wing nut 44 and a sleeve nut 45 for fixing the relation between the bolts 43 and the bar 38. 'Each extension bolt 43 is hingedly joined to the vertical extension bolts 46 provided with the wing nut 47 and the sleeve nut 48 which holdthe bolts 46 in their correct relation to the table 27.

The table 27 is provided with the transverse slots 49 beneath which are mounted the clamping screws 50. Each screw 50 is provided with a nut 51 which is notched to receive the edges 51-A of the slots 49. The upper ends of the nuts 51 engage the clamping bar 52 which rides upon the top of the table 27. The forward ends of the screws 50 journal in the bar 26A and are rotated, by means of th hand crank 53.

The ends 54 of the head block 29 do not extend to the ends of the table 27 which has hingedly mounted thereon the short bit bars 55 and 56 to which they are joined by means of the shouldered bolts 57 whose square portions 58 drop into a corresponding square recess 59 in the table 27 to facilitate the placing and removal of the nuts 60.

Each short bit bar 55 and 56 is provided with a series of holes 61 and 62 which three-eighths inch and one-quarter inch in di ameter. These holes are on one-half inch centers. One end of each bar 55 and 56 has its hole 61 one inch from the head block 29. The hit bars 55 and 56 are reversible and the opposite en ds of these bars have their respective first holes 61 five-siXteent-hs of an inch from the head block 29. making it possible to secure a variation in the relation between the holes of the bars 55 and 56 and the head block 29. In other words. the two standard spacings are provided between the working face of the head block 29 and the first hole 61 in the bit bars 55 and 56. The five-sixteenth inch spacing bisects the thickness of a fiveeighths inch stock and the one inch spacing provides a standard end spacing for the dowels.

Upon each bit bar 55 and 56 is slidablv mounted a. clamping plate 63 through whose slots 64 pass the bolts 65 and 66. each of which is provided with a wing nut 67. The bolts 65 pass through the bit bars 55 and 56 and heir square shoulders 68 occupy corresponding recesses in the table 27. The bolts 66 have a flat head and a square shoulder 69 which. occupies a corresponding hole 7 O. A corres onding plate 71 may be used on the under I side of each bit bar 55-and 56. as'will be eX- plained later.

Under the rear edge of the table 27 is mounted a bracket 72 on which is hinged a lever 73 which is used to operate the slidable shim 74 which is placed between the head block 29 and the table 27. The movement of the shim 74 is limited by the bolts 30 which pass through the slots 75 in the shim 4.

While thedevice is extremely flexible in adjustment and adapts itself to many forms of work, a few representative forms only will be explained. In Fig. 14 is shown a board 76 in whose edge 77 are formed three groups of holes 78 which are made to receive the dowels 79. In Fig. 15 is'shown a board 80 in which the holes 81 are formed in the end 82. lVhile these are flat pieces, it is obvious that round or irre ular-shaped pieces may be doweled by the use of this jig.

The operation of the device is as follows: If it is desired to dowel a piece of wood 83 the long bit bar 38 is first lifted out of the way in order to admit the strip 83 to the head block 29. As this wood is standardized for work and it is always kept in multiples of one inch it is only necessary for the operator to lace the stri 83 between a air of ton ues which are inserted into their respective slots 33 or 35 so that the center of the stick will correspond with the center of the head block, which is marked by the countersink 42 lit will be noted that a one-quarter inch hole will be found at the center of the head block 29 and that there is will be another v one-quarter inch hole at each inch on either side of the center mark 31. The intermediate holes are plugged to prevent the accidental use of same, and this is accomplished by inserting the removable plugs 84.

It will be noted that the long bit bar 38 is brought down upon the work (as shown in Fig. 7) afterwhich the clamping bar 52 is moved a ainst the work 83 by rotating the hand cranks 53.

Obviously, the transverse positioning of the holes 78 is controlled entirely by the wing nuts 44 and the sleeve nuts 45. Should it be desired to drill a number of pieces 83 at the same time they may be positioned between a number of tongues 36 or between the bit bars 55 or 56 and a tongue 36.

In drilling the holes 81 in the end of a stick 80, the bit. bar 55 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 10 and a tongue 36 is placed in its respective slot 33 at. the opposite end of the stick 80. As stated, these sticks are made in multiples of one-half inch so that the operator can always find a suitable slot 33 into which he can insert the tongue 36 which forms the stop. The clamping bar 52 is then moved into position as before and the drill 85 passed through its respective hole 61 in order to form the desired hole 81 in the stick 80. It follows that holes thus formed will be absolutely true and correctly positioned.

In Fig. 11 is illustrated the settlng up of the jig for the drilling of holes in a stile for screen doors. In this case the bit bar is swung out to a straight line position by removing the bolt 65, which is then replaced and, in unison with the bolt 66, used to hold the plate and the plate 63 on the upper side thereof.

It will be noted, however, that the plates 63 and 71 are moved forwardly so that they may receive the stile 86 between same. A dowel 87 is placed in the end hole 61 to serve as a stop while the holes 88 are being drilled. The plugs 84 occupy holes in the bar 55 which are not required for the drilling of the holes 88.

In Fig. 4 is shown a washer 89 which may be inserted under the bit bars 55 and 56 for the purpose of increasing the center line of the holes therein above the table top 27-for example, when using thicker material.

The purpose of the shim 7 1 is best illustrated in Fig. 8 wherein the work 83 is raised with relation to the table 21. In other words, the shim 7a and the washers 89 .enable the operator to locate the horizontal drilling center line of the bit bars 55 and 56 above or below their normal position.

Since the character of work which can be performed on this machine, as far as drilling dowel holes is concerned, is almost unlimited, no attempt will be made to illustrate further operations thereon, but it must be fully understood that the entire design of this jig is based upon the adaptability of its successful use by blind people, and although it will greatly raise the standard of work performed by seeing people its real value is most apparent when used by those whose vision is impaired.

In Fig. 16 of the drawings is illustrated a childs crib all of the doweling operations of which can be performed on this ig.

In Fig. '3' of the drawings the clamp 52- is shown separated from the traveling nut 51. In actual practice it will be found desirable to connect these elements in order that the clamp 52 will follow the members 51 in either direction, rendering it unnecessary to move same by hand after the cranks 53 have been operated. T he purpose of the grooves 81 is to enable the operator to quickly locate a desired hole, using the groove 31 which is accented by the countersink 12, as a base of operations. In other words, the user always starts from the central mark or countersink 412 and counts the number of grooves 31 to the right or to the left of the center, and each groove 31 corresponds with two vertical slots 33 and 35 so that no difiiculty is experienced in positioning the stops 36. The same is true of the groove 11, which enables the operator 71 on the under side of the bar 55 to count the number of holes 39 or 40 from the starting point or groove 4:1.

I claim:

1. In a doweling jig, the combination of a table, a head block mounted along the rear edge of said table, said head block having its length divided into unit sections by means of vertical slots, stops adapted to occupy any ofsaid slots, an elongated bit bar adjustably and hingedly mounted in front of and above said head block, clamp means for holding work against said block, a short bit bar hingedly mounted at the end of said head block for the purpose of forming an exten sion therefor, the holes in said short bit lying in horizontal plane at all times while the holes in said elongated bit bar occupy a vertical plane when in an operative position, and means for selectively positioning the parts in response to the sense of feeling comprising a scale having its calibrations in the form of grooves corresponding with alternate vertical slots in said head block.

2. The substance of claim 1, and plate members above and below the adjacent sides thereof when said short bit bar is in parallelism with said head block.

3. A doweling jig, the combination of a table, a vertically slotted head block mounted along the rear edge of said table, tongue means adjustably disposed along the length of said head block, a shim slidably interposed between said head block and table for the purpose of elevating work above said table, clamp means for holding work against the head block, an elongated bit bar hingedly mountcr over said work, means for varying the ele vation of the pivotal axis and swinging radius of said bit bar, and means responsive to the sense of feeling for locating said tongue comprising a smooth scale on said head block having its calibrations in the form of grooves registering with said head block slots.

l/A doweling jig, the combination of a table, a head block mounted along the rear edge of said table, a shim hingedly interposed between said head block and table for the purpose of elevating work above said table, clamp means for holding work against the head block, an elongated bit bar hingedly mounted over said work, means for varying the elevation of the pivotal axis and swinging radius of said bit bar, a bit bar normal to said first mentioned bit bar for drilling holes in end wood including means for increasing the height of its horizontal hole center line above the table, and means responsive to the sense of touch for controlling the setting of the various jigs and for preventing the use of the wrong holes in the drilling operation comprising plugs which removably occupy holes through which the drill must not pass during a given setup.

BURTON E. SMITH. 

